About Us

Even in these times of rapidly growing social media reaching out across the globe, feedback from our clients is still one of the most valued advertising a business can have. Read what our clients are saying about their Hel’s Kitchen Catering experience:

Good Afternoon Sandy,

I wanted to tell you personally how great our buffet was for our event. Everything was flavorful and well prepared. The Goat cheese spread was fantastic! …… the Sandwiches were very tasty, the Sirloin Beef were the Best…… the Ceviche was very good as well. Of course the Salmon stole the show. I only wish we had cards to give to our guests because many know I have worked as a Caterer for years, I had to tell everyone It was not my food! Hel’s Kitchen made my 40th anniversary a real delight. I have catered my own anniversary many times, this year i feel I got the best service. Thank you Sandy for all your help and support…

Sherry R.
Anniversary Celebration
August 2019

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David,

I was going to send you a handwritten note via USPS to let you know the
depth of my gratitude. Unfortunately I failed to plan ahead, and after the
wedding my reorder of stationery is forthcoming.

So, I have to settle on modern devices and hope the message is not diluted.

Linda and Jerry did an amazing job on our brunch. They are so good at
conceptualizing what is needed, setting it up, adjusting to situations, and
leading the staff to put on a great event. It was a long week of sequential
engagements culminating in Sunday’s brunch. I was pretty beat up by
mid-morning and you can’t know how much it meant to me to let it go because
I knew they had it covered. Lupe finished it off, Mark at the bar was
superb, and I wish I could tell you the rest of the staff’s names including
the head chef, but my brain must have been full.

Great effort by all. My compliments to the firm and people you have
developed. They are to be treasured.

Toby L.
Post-Wedding Brunch
August 2019

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Hi Emily,

Just want to say a big THANK YOU for a wonderful bridal shower!

Everyone was so happy with the drinks, food, presentation, and Ajie was simply amazing! (as well as the other delivery/pick up staff).

Please let everyone who participated know how grateful I am!

Joy L.
Bridal Shower
July 2019

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Dear Sandy,

I wanted to let you know how pleased we were with everything that we experienced with Hel’s Kitchen and your assistance and the gentleman who brought out the food and supplies on Sunday and the delicious array of foods we all enjoyed at our brunch. Everything was great and the presentation was beautiful!! The gentleman was so nice and helpful and it meant so much to us. We were gathering to remember a dear brother who passed away in April and for the Memorial to go so well and be catered in such a lovely way was so meaningful to us. Everyone commented on how delicious the food was. Please share this email with everyone at the Kitchen who is involved in the preparation of the brunch menu and service.

With much gratitude,

Shelley S.
Memorial
July 2019

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David/Emily -

Thank you both for working with us on yesterday’s event! It went great logistically and the client was very pleased with everything. Will was a ROCKSTAR and did so much, it truly did not go unnoticed.

Thank you again and I look forward to working together in the future!

Denni D.
Event Coordinator
Corporate Open House
June 2019

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Everything was perfect! The company, food & libations were all excellent at the branch.

The VIP area was awesome with super good food music and upscale drinks.

We had a ball and hope to get a chance to come back next year.

John L.
Corporate Open House
June 2019

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Linda,

Our thanks to you and your team for an amazing event! Your artful presentation of the sumptuous buffet was as beautiful as it was delicious. Just wow…

To say that you and your team exceeded our expectations is putting it mildly. I cannot even begin to count the number of guests exclaiming over the spectacular visual impact you created. Perhaps it was every single one of them.

It was truly remarkable to see the effect you created with the staging of food, accessories, and plating. This is a category of catering that is in a class by itself.

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with you thanks to Elona’s kind generosity.

With many thanks, and sincere admiration of your creative vision and artistic execution,

Cathy B & Julie R.
Friends of Kenilworth
Fundraiser Gala
May 2019

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Hi Sandy and Lisa,

I wanted to send a quick note to say, “THANK YOU” for another set of successful, catered meals. It has always been a pleasure to work with the two of you and Hel’s on my events from year-to-year. I was anxious about changing things up here with asking you all to cater this year’s Advent week but I was confident that working with the two of you would prove we could make a successful change. As you know, I moved into HR last year and the planning for Advent week is one of my responsibilities. I knew immediately, I wanted to use you all. Thanks for being willing to work with me on this! You all are THEE BEST!

I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback that the food was delicious (not that I am surprised) and how folks appreciated the options selected. This makes me happy and I wanted to share that with you. And, trust me, I would hear if someone wasn’t happy here.

I will take some time to jot down a few notes and will share those with you all as well about headcounts, leftovers, things we ran out of, etc. so we can be ready to go this time next year!

I hope you both have a wonderful holiday and fabulous new year!

Andrea Y.
Director, Employee Engagement and Development
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
December 2017

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Dear Linda & Roni,

Rick & I loved our tasting menu on Friday prepared by your amazing chef. We truly loved everything making it hard to decide – so we picked everything! Roni did a lovely job serving us the beautifully presented food selections.

We are thrilled to be using Hel’s Kitchen for our wedding celebration on July 21, 2018 at Elawa.

Thank you again for a magnificent tasting.

Catherine D. & Rick
Tasting
November 2017

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Hi Linda,

James and I just wanted to reach out to you again to say thank you for everything at our wedding. Wow, I don’t even know where to start. I get emotional just thinking about all the wonderful things you did for us that day– we couldn’t be more happy with everything, EVERYTHING you put together. Everything tasted, looked, felt, exactly like we imagined and more.

We’d recommend you to ANYONE in a heartbeat and I know our families would too.

I know we’ve said thank you a million a times already but we could say it a million times more, that’s why we’d love to review you anywhere you wish! We have so many wonderful things to say about you, your team and Hel’s. Where is best?

Hope you had a great end of the summer, talk soon!

Lauren K.
Wedding
September 2017

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Hi David,

I’m writing on behalf of JRC to let you know how very much we appreciate and enjoyed the degustation dinner that Hel’s Kitchen donated to JRC’s auction.

As you know, a group of eight JRC members purchased this auction item in April and Hel’s Kitchen provided the dinner this past Saturday at Rhonda Stein’s home.

We all had a truly delightful evening. All of the food was absolutely delicious in each of the nine (!) courses, with fresh, top-notch ingredients, varied and interesting flavors, and plentiful portions — and all beautifully presented. We also enjoyed your recommendations for wine pairings with each course. Your staff was pleasant, accommodating, and easy to work with.

Thank you again for your generosity!!

Thank you and your team – an awesome experience all around.

Barbara P.
Dinner
August 2017

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David,

I want to let you know how much everyone enjoyed the brunch you provided on Sunday for our morning after our son’s wedding. Everything was delicious as it always is with your food and beautifully displayed. Most of all, I appreciated your delivery men’s willingness to help me organize how it went on the table and to make sure I was happy with everything – and this was after they climbed up a lot of stairs.

It was especially great waking up Sunday knowing that I didn’t have to worry at all that your delivery would be on time and everything would be just as we planned. Your guidance and patience with picking the menu was, as always, just right.

Thanks so much for being there for another special occasion in our lives.

Ellen F.
Brunch
July 2017

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Just wanted to send a note about catering services that were delivered on June 18, 2017. The delivery man was very polite and efficient and everyone loved the brunch. Hard to find businesses that continuing to offer great customer service and delicious food!

Natalie P.
Baby Shower
June 2017

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Hi Linda,

I I’m sorry that it took me so long to write this email, but I wanted to take some time to fully process and meet with the team before putting everything in writing.

First and foremost, THANK YOU to you, David, Jeff, Max and the entire team at Hel’s Kitchen. I can’t imagine that David’s presence at events is a standard, but having the attention and service of both you and the owner of the company is something I notice, and it made us feel truly appreciated. I didn’t even get to meet everyone in the back of the house, but I know the kitchen staff was hustling because the front of house was unbelievably smooth.

There are a few things I think I need to particularly point out, because they stand out to me as a past catering server and catering sales manager. The timing of the courses was truly exceptional. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect we would get courses out in less than 15-20 minutes, let alone 8, 10 and 12 minutes. Truly phenomenal and worth noting. I also would like to commend the fact that everyone worked so seamlessly despite the fact that you were working with a chef you hadn’t worked with before. I can’t imagine the added stress and communication challenges that come with that, but your team handled it with ease and effortlessness.

And secondly, I would like to commend you personally on your outstanding customer service. I know that I was “that client” that threw everything at you at the last minute, but besides promising not to let that happen again I have to MAJORLY thank you for being simultaneously patient and quick. I have never in my life been able to participate in an event that I’m planning, but you were so attentive to our needs that Ryan and I both got to enjoy every course that was brought to us at the donation table. (As someone accustomed to eating 2-hour-old food out of a hotbox it was a TRUE treat.)

I have zero negative feedback, except to say that next year I would like to make sure we further discuss bar open/close times and closing the bar during dinner. But that’s just a tiny blip on our radar and certainly not even considered a negative when juxtaposed towards the fabulous service we received overall.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I got hit by a truck, and I barely scraped the surface compared to the physical labor done by your team. It was a great reminder of how truly taxing catering is, and I am beyond thankful for everyone who worked their butts off (probably literally) to make The Community Table such a success.

We’re working on contracting Elawa Farm for next June 9th, 2018 and I do hope that we haven’t scared you away from joining us next year because I honestly don’t know what I would do without you and the team at Hel’s Kitchen!

Thank you so so so much, there aren’t enough words to express my true gratitude.

Wishing you a happy wedding season ahead and many thanks again.

Kate T.
Fundraiser
June 2017

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Everything was fantastic. Thanks to the guys for a great set-up. In all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never had so many compliments on a meal. The Asian Duet was terrific. Wonderful flavors. People were unsure of the black rice but it was delicious. Thank you for making me look good.

Kim G.
Willow Creek Community Church
Church Dinner
June 2017

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Good morning Linda,

I want to thank you and your team for a fabulous evening. Everything went so so smoothly last night. From set up to clean up, I know that everyone enjoyed the evening! The food and staff was outstanding and we could not have asked more. You guys are wonderful and thank you so much for working with me to have such a successful event!

Thanks!

Julie G.
Holiday Employee Appreciation
January 2017

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Sandy -

I cannot thank you enough for your amazing customer service, patience with my questions and concerns and the wonderful men that set up our event. Daniel and Luis were very courteous, efficient and professional. I did not catch the young man’s name that picked up everything but he was right up there with Daniel and Luis.

Then the food itself – everyone had rave reviews about the quality and presentation. Absolutely filling the challenge I had been given to do “something different.”

Thank you and your team – an awesome experience all around.

Sabrina E.
Corporate Luncheon
October 2016

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Dear David,

A quick email to express my thanks and deep appreciation for your dinner last evening. I cannot begin to tell you how many compliments I have already received. The food was incredible and your staff was extraordinary. I must tell you that your lead person is absolutely incredible. He was so kind, helpful and supportive and my staff felt last night’s dinner may have been the best we have ever had at Am Shalom. Please express my deep gratitude to your entire staff for a job well done. It is a real pleasure working with you and I look forward to our next event together.

Ed A.Executive Director
Am Shalom
Dinner
September 2016

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Hello, Sandy

I just want to take a moment to express again my thanks to you and the Hel’s Kitchen “team” for helping Trinity have a most enjoyable evening reception. Your appetizers were just delectable and very much enjoyed by everyone at the event.

Those meatballs — wow! The wraps, delicious along with the canapés and the veggies and cheese platters. Everything was beautifully presented and simply delicious.

Your drivers were right on time, and helped explain a number of things for set up and assisted with us getting the food ready – the last step before we started up for the evening. They were wonderful.

It is always a pleasure to talk with you, Sandy, and have your professional assistance in the planning elements of such an event. You “know your stuff” and offer such thoughtful insights. I never am concerned picking up the phone and talking to you – you are the “answer person” and you are very much appreciated!

Thank you for everything – once again, I am glad we could work with Hel’s Kitchen for our event.

It was very nice to meet you on Saturday afternoon/evening. I wanted to thank you very much for everything! Pam and the Hel’s staff could not have been more efficient, professional, and helpful, and the food was delicious – everyone was full of compliments! Everything was just outstanding!

It was also such a pleasure to work with you. You were so patient and accommodating, even as guests were replying the day of the seder! So nice!

We found Hel’s Kitchen by simply walking around the ORT show and tasting food. We were already approximately 2 booths away when we tasted the sample that we took and immediately went back to speak with them. Their food was OUTSTANDING! What made it even better was the service. Julie is wonderful, very patient, and accommodating. She eased all my stress and provided food, service, and even price that was better than any expectation. Cannot recommend higher.

Robyn D.
Kiddush Luncheon
April 2016

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Hi Julie:

I wanted to say “THANKS” for such a wonderful party. Absolutely, everyone loved it. Your servers were great and the food was scrumptious. However, you deserve the highest praise. Our Open House was flawless and elegant and we could not have asked for a more perfect evening.

So, Thank You, again.

Tanya L.
New Attorney Open House
December 2015

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On behalf of the Village of Northbrook Board of Trustees, I’d like to thank you for your participation at Northbrook’s Village Family Dinner. Everyone was raving about your wonderful 1960s comfort foods. Your energetic staff and delicious food selection was perfect for the event, in fact, it was the inspiration for our theme! Please let your staff know, and Julie, that we enjoyed having them at our event.

I assume they saw a number of familiar faces since many in attendance are already regular customers. The Village is proud to have you in our community! Thank you so very much for making our event so groovy man!

I look forward to working with you in the future on other Village related projects.

Cheryl F.Communications Manager – Village of Northbrook
Village Family Dinner
November 2015

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Hello Sandy,

I just wanted you to know that the food and service yesterday far exceeded our expectations! Everything was amazing! Delicious and beautifully presented. Roberto was very kind and extremely helpful as well. We couldn’t have been more pleased.

I look forward to calling you the next time I need a caterer. Many thanks.

Anne M.
Retirement Party
November 2015

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Everyone was raving at our major donor party last week. A common comment was, “It’s too pretty to eat. I don’t want to mess up the design.”

Lisa T.
Community Relations Manager – Connections for the Homeless
Donor Party
October 2015

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Dear Sandy,

Thank you for all of your help with our party. The food was fabulous! Everything was “melt in your mouth delicious”. I was impressed at how wonderful the food was and very grateful that everything was so well organized, the serving dishes, the warmers, the delivery and all. Our guests enjoyed the meal very much. And the server from That Special Event, Jennifer Zavala, was excellent. She handled the serving and the crowd beautifully. We could not have been happier with everything.

My husband and I look forward to using Hel’s Kitchen again sometime in the future. Have a good day.

Anne M.
Engagement Party
October 2015

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We cannot compliment you and your team enough for the exceptional experience that was last night’s party for George.

David, the food was extraordinarily tasty. Everyone was raving!! And, as planned, enjoying it was easy. Not a lot of cutlery, mess or fuss involved in the consumption.

But even more impressive was the level of attentive service provided by Suzanne, Stuart, Galina and our stellar chef – whose name escapes me at the moment! They couldn’t have been more solicitous and concerned and determined to see everyone – including the hosts – have a lovely evening. They succeeded.

Kudos to all. You made what we hoped would be a very nice party for a very special guy a night to remember for a long time to come.

Katie S.
Graduation
August 2015

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I want to say thanks again to Will and his entire staff for creating such a special menu and great memories for Mike and my recent wedding reception. From the initial menu selection through venue clean-up, the Hel’s Kitchen Catering crew made our experience seamless, fun, and most importantly, delicious! We began receiving compliments on the food from the minute we walked into our cocktail hour on the bacon-wrapped dates all the way through the truffled mac-and-cheese at dinner to the custom smores bar for dessert up to the late-night chicken and waffles. This will likely be the grandest party we’ll ever host, but for any future parties — big or small, Hel’s will be our first call!

Lisa O.
Wedding
June 2015

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Hi Will,

Sorry it took me a while to get back to you, but I’ve been meaning to contact you and tell you how pleased we were with all Hel’s Kitchen did to make Caitlin and Stephen’s wedding a beautiful experience. We got lots of compliments on the food and everything went very smoothly considering the last minute change of plans. Of course we would have preferred no rain, but the rain actually created a magical feel to the venue and the photos we’ve seen so far turned out lovely. I have been recommending your business to my friends and you were so easy to work with.

Thank you for treating us so respectfully and making this event easier to manage.

Kim & Steve R.
Wedding
June 2015

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Hel’s was perfect! We got married last weekend in Chicago, and Will Borris and the Hel’s team, did an amazing job from start to finish. From the first time I called to the cleanup after the actual wedding, I knew we were in good hands. As for the food, it was delicious! Granted we picked the menu, but it was the best food I’ve ever had at a wedding, and our guests agreed. Will knew the best way to set up the room for the vibe my wife and I were going for, he knew how to arrange everything with the venue itself, and was easily reachable by phone and email if we had any questions during the lead up to the day.

I’d highly recommend working with Hel’s!

Scott H.
Wedding
May 2015

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We hired Hel’s kitchen to cater Mothers day brunch at our home. All of the staff made it very easy to order and stress-free. The driver was on time and he was very helpful with set up. The food was awesome. Everything was very fresh and seasoned perfect. We will use Hel’s Kitchen again.

Ed A.
Executive Director of Am Shalom
Plated Dinner
May 2015

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We hired Hel’s kitchen to cater Mothers day brunch at our home. All of the staff made it very easy to order and stress free. The driver was on time and he was very helpful with set up. The food was awesome. Everything was very fresh and seasoned perfect. We will use Hel’s Kitchen again.

Audrey L.
Mother’s Day Brunch
May 2015

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Hi Linda,

I wanted to check in to let you know that our dance went wonderfully this past Sunday night and the food was scrumptious! Thank you so much for working with us on the event and helping to ensure that it was top notch. Our guests really enjoyed the menu options. Additionally, your delivery team on Sunday were so courteous and helpful.

Genuinely, it is always a wonderful experience to work with you. We look forward to next year.

This is an overdue message of thanks. I used Hel’s Kitchen for my 50th birthday party at The Shed in Highland Park. From the minute I talked to Will Borris I knew I was in great hands. Will was professional and extremely consultative in talking about the options I had for the event. He made me feel so comfortable in our first conversation that I didn’t even call back the other caterers I had on my list. I had several people that needed gluten free and Will was very accommodating. Will helped me pick a fabulous menu. My friends were calling for weeks complimenting the food, it was fantastic!!

Hel’s Kitchen catered my New Year’s Eve birthday party, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the choice I made. I took quotes from several caterers, and Hel’s Kitchen was by far the best value. Linda Norgaila was in charge of the event and assembled a wonderful staff to take care of everything, from setting up tables and linens to cooking the delicious food — guests are still talking about how good it was! — to stocking and tending the bar and then breaking everything down at the end of the party.

Linda also organized all of this in pretty much less than a week, never wavered in her quest to grant every request I made, and just plain took the worry out of this crucial part of party planning. The staff was super professional and made everything run smoothly that night. I will use Hel’s Kitchen for every party I throw from now on. Worth every penny.

Theresa B.
Birthday Party
December 2014

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Will,

Everything was absolutely fabulous last night!

Thank you again for your attention to detail and for being so accommodating, friendly and easy to work with the past few weeks. I hope we can work together on more events like this in the future.

The food was superb! Everyone was commenting on how delicious it was. Your set up and décor were lovely and your staff was absolutely outstanding, friendly and helpful to not only me and my co-workers but to all of our guests.

Valerie R.
Special Events Manager for Rainbow Hospice
Holiday Party
December 2014

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Our Elawa Farm wedding and reception was spectacular thanks to Hel’s Kitchen. The best service this side of anywhere! Linda has the flair of Martha Stewart and the patience of a saint–perfect attributes for dealing with a picky MOB. Her menu suggestions were amazing and the execution of the event was flawless. Everyone raved about the meal and the staff could not have been more helpful or pleasant. Cross caterer off your list and call Hel’s, you will be thrilled!

Kathleen T.
Wedding
October 2014

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I had so many guests tell me how much better the food was than at any other catered event that they have attended. Many guests asked for your information to contact you as well. This truly was a testament to how great the entire afternoon went. Love Tracy and her staff. My husband and I were able to enjoy ourselves and our grandchild.

Katherine H.
Baptism
October 2014

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Hi Sandy! I wanted to send a note thanking you for all of your help and the amazing food. We were blown away at the quality, taste and presentation of it all. The food stayed nice and warm and the man who delivered the food was very helpful and a pleasure to work with too. Every aspect of Hel’s Kitchen was truly a 5 star experience. Compliments to the chefs and company as a whole. Hel’s Kitchen is definitely my go to caterer for all future parties and references. Thank you and everyone at Hel’s Kitchen again!!

Allison V.
Shower
September 2014

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This is an overdue message of thanks. I used Hel’s Kitchen for my 50th birthday party at The Shed in Highland Park. From the minute I talked to Will Borris I knew I was in great hands. Will was professional and extremely consultative in talking about the options I had for the event. He made me feel so comfortable in our first conversation that I didn’t even call back the other caterers I had on my list. I had several people that needed gluten free and Will was very accommodating. Will helped me pick a fabulous menu. My friends were calling for weeks complimenting the food, it was fantastic!!

The service was attentive and really exceptional. I didn’t have to think about a thing and they had everything paced and cleaned up without me even noticing them so I could enjoy the party. They were fantastic! I would highly recommend Hel’s Kitchen for any catering needs and already wrote a Yelp review.

You have quite an asset in having Will on the team. He made the whole experience flawless.

Thank you to all the crew at Hel’s Kitchen!

Ellen T.
Birthday Party
September 2014

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We’ve used Hel’s Kitchen for big birthday parties, smaller business and political events, and family gatherings, and they have always been the best. David is great at recommending items you might not choose on your own but wind up being the hit of the party. Our guests have always loved the food – it’s terrific. And they are so service-oriented. They’ll customize everything to your needs, everyone who works there is helpful, and they can recommend wonderful people to set up and serve if you need that as well. I can’t recommend Hel’s Kitchen more highly. Since we found them we haven’t used anyone else.

Nancy P.
September 2014

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Dearest Linda & All of Hel’s Kitchen Catering

Where do we even begin to thank you for the role you played in our wedding – from the planning phase, to the tasting, to the food served, to the tremendous staff, to all the behind the scenes coordination – I can only imagine what it required. We are eternally grateful.

Linda, without you, I’m convinced this event would not have happened, or at least not been the absolute perfect day it was. Your spirit, determination and flexibility made working with you a dream. The reviews are in, and the food stole the show. You all will have a very special place in our hearts.

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.

Gretta J.
Wedding
August 2014

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Dear David,

Thank you for catering our wedding! We had a spectacular night and loved every minute. Everyone raved about the food and service. Your team was so friendly and professional. Thank you for taking the time to plan all of the details with us.

Miguel G.
Wedding
August 2014

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Thanks, Will, for the kind words about our family. We enjoyed working with you very much as well. In particular, we appreciated your advocacy for us with the SS Cultural Center!

Bringing the linens at noon made it possible for our family and friends to get the decorations done by 2 PM, and still have time to go back to the hotel and get ready for the wedding. Thanks for going the “extra miles” (literally) for us.

Your staff was great, and Bernie was a wonderful leader. And last but certainly not least, we got many positive compliments about the food!!!

Patty G.
Wedding
August 2014

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Dear Dear Dear Dear Linda,

There are not enough words for you and your beautiful amazing and eventually monsoon-soaked crew! The kiddush lunch was MAGNIFICENT! Gorgeously presented, utterly delicious, beyond and beyond all my expectations.

Folks are RAVING about the strudel, which is especially marvelous since it was our last-minute addition. At least 10 people – including my husband and college son, Will – are begging for the recipe.

You made our extraordinary day even more extraordinary than I would have dared to wish. It broke my heart that the crew had to load in the deluge of rain, and Josh, in particular, was a total rock star! If I’d had 100-dollars bills in my pockets, I would have showered him with them.

From the bottom of my heart, and with promises to use you again and again (though I don’t actually get to use caterers too often in our usually quiet lifestyle)!

Barbara M.
Kiddush Luncheon
August 2014

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To Everyone @ Hel’s Kitchen,

Thank you so much for such a professional performance at our HPHS 40th reunion last Saturday night. Your expertise thoroughly shined through as we had a seamless and wonderful experience with your advice, set-up, and food & beverage display. You listened to our requests and delivered with ease! Even your clean-up went without a hitch! We truly appreciated our association with you for our event. Personally, I tried each offering on all of the 3 entrée food stations you set up and give a hearty thumbs-up on the presentation and taste of each item.

On behalf of our committee members, thank you again and we look forward to our next event with Hel’s Kitchen.

Alfred K.
Class Reunion
July 2014

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Dear Tim,

Congratulations on another fantastic summer tenant event here. You continue to outperform yourself each year and our General Manager yet again proclaimed this year was the best event yet.

Hel’s Kitchen Catering continues to impress not only the building tenants but all of the building staff members with their menu choices, prep, delivery & cleanup. The staff is professional, courteous and respects the property while hosting a fabulous lunch for over 3,500 people. One of my favorite things from this event (aside from the surprise pins!) was the food signs that told everyone what was being served – they were so colorful and fun and really played up on the Wonka theme perfectly.

I’m convinced that you are the best in the business as you continue to impress us year after year. All of the food served at the lunch was absolutely delicious but it’s more than just the food with Hel’s Kitchen, it’s the entire experience of knowing you’re in good hands when you are behind the wheel. You provide a thorough service and are an absolute pleasure to work with. We are so grateful for your hard work and dedication to making this year’s tenant event such a wonderful success.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to working with you again in the near future!

I can’t begin to tell you how pleased we were with every aspect of our party Saturday evening. Your delivery service was outstanding. Not only did the two young men set up everything with great efficiency, but Matt insisted on leaving us his phone number “just in case” there was a problem so that we could be sure to have the problem rectified immediately. (We were very impressed with this young man!).

One of my biggest problems when I entertain is winding up with way too many leftovers. Your careful attention to our party details–revising our order as needed–helped to ensure that we ordered the appropriate amount of food for the size of our crowd…with enough left so we could snack on some goodies today. And everything was truly delicious. Once again, Hel’s did not disappoint!

Again, many, many thanks! Rave reviews from all our guests, too!

Melanie H.
Couples Shower
July 2014

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Hel’s Kitchen catered my mom’s 100th and 101st birthday parties and just catered the “shiva” following her funeral. The staff could not have been more helpful, even coming out to my mother’s apartment to see how the setup should go, advising me to order more substantial food for the dinner hour and supplying fantastic help who set up the whole place while our family was at the funeral and cemetery. They were efficient, compassionate, professional and very aware of not letting things sit too long on the buffet table. They did everything with only three days of planning. I cannot thank them enough. And oh yes! The food was fabulous, and they had gluten free options, wine, drinks and all sorts of features I never even thought to order! They are the best people to work with, and I will call them many times in the future.

Adrienne D.
Shiva
July 2014

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Linda,

I just wanted to say thank you again for all your work yesterday. You and your team did a spectacular job and we were thrilled with everything. We felt so taken care of and didn’t worry about anything; it was a terrific day.

Elizabeth & Marc
Wedding
July 2014

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Hi David,

I cannot tell you enough how happy we were with our beautiful buffet Saturday night! The presentation was gorgeous, the food was so delicious and the selections were just perfect – we received so, so many compliments on the catering, I’m sure you’ll be getting requests from our guests in the future. Delivery was on time and very professional and it was nice to have a clean kitchen free of platters and utensils the next morning.

My husband loved the papas rellenas!

I also wanted to thank YOU for spending the time to walk me through this.
I know this was a small party compared other events you’ve coordinated, but you took the time to guide me through a delightful menu and evening and made me feel as though my party was equally as important as others you may have been working on. I appreciate that very much.

You have a new client and I have a new confidence in entertaining thanks to you and your staff!!

Kris R.
Birthday Party
June 2014

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“Tell me what you want, and we’ll make it happen” was the theme that Linda Norgaila and the Hel’s Kitchen Team adopted from the day we first discussed our wedding plans. Our wedding was at The Grove Redfield Estate, in Glenview and we weren’t sure what setup we would use for the ceremony and reception given the unpredictable weather we had in May. We found great comfort in having Linda in our corner as she was prepared with a plan A,B and C depending on the weather and we ended up having a beautiful day! We knew the food was going to be fantastic when we had the tasting, and it did not disappoint. All the guests loved the food and the service was exceptional. The staff made sure everyone’s glasses were full at all times and everyone had their dessert!

Hel’s Kitchen and Linda were very professional and friendly which made the ceremony and reception flow through perfectly. A true pleasure to work with and we would recommend them to anyone.

Thank you Linda and Hel’s Kitchen!

Stacy M.
Wedding
May 2014

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Dear Friends at Hel’s Kitchen,

Thank you for once again doing such a wonderful job at Literacy Works’ fundraiser. The food was delicious and your staff are the greatest! They help to make our event so special for our guests. I so appreciate all you do to work with us to make this happen!

Christine K.Literacy Works Executive Director
Fundraiser
May 2014

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David & Co. –

On behalf of the Food & Beverage Committee and the rest of BJBE community, we truly need to thank Hel’s Kitchen for making our Gala 2014 a most spectacular event. Being a new event to our synagogue, we didn’t have a great deal of experience. The event exceeded our expectations…the feedback we received on the food and the service has been outstanding.

Linda Norgaila was the most patient, helpful, and wonderful representative of Hel’s. Her ideas, creativity, and attention to detail made the event one that people are still talking about. The servers were all fantastic. Same for the bartenders, gents at the carving station, etc. etc. etc.

The food… exceptional. Quality, freshness, and options/variety. We really could not have been more pleased. Attendees were stopping me and non-attendees have come up to me at little league games and the grocery store to say “I heard the food was fantastic”. True story.

Looking forward to working with you again. Thanks for everything.

Sid S. & Steffanie P.
Congregation BJBE Fundraiser Gala
May 2014

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Hi Will,

A huge thank you to Hel’s Kitchen for being so wonderful to work with at Meredith and Colin’s wedding! As a wedding coordinator who works with dozens of caterers each year, Hel’s Kitchen definitely stands out from the rest based on their organization and amazing cuisine. Each and every member of the staff went above and beyond the entire duration of the wedding, and I hope to work with Hel’s Kitchen in the future!

Valerie H.
Wedding Coordinator
Wedding
March 2014

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Hel’s Kitchen catered our wedding on 3/22/14 and they were fantastic! The food was delicious and the staff was very professional. We received compliments from our guests about the food throughout the cocktail hour and reception. The taste, quality and presentation of the food were all impressive.

We worked with Will and he was the best! He helped my husband and I plan a menu that fit our tastes. Throughout the process he was helpful, kind, organized and quick to respond to our calls and emails. His attention to detail made it clear to me that he truly cared about making our event one our guests would enjoy. We even had a few vegans at our wedding and Will ensured that their dietary needs were met without sacrificing taste. He made the entire process and all the little details easy.

We are so happy we chose Hel’s Kitchen for our event. They helped make our day memorable. The next time we need an event to be catered we will definitely go with Hel’s!

Meredith D.
Wedding
March 2014

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Will,

I’d like to let you know how much we appreciate you. I know you took on more than you were supposed to. Please know that did not go unnoticed. I can’t convey how amazing I think you are and everyone else agrees. Our guests were also impressed by you and your staff. You were all so accommodating and attentive.

You made this experience so much easier and smoother. You have no idea what a panic I was in after returning from Spain, with less than two weeks left until the wedding. I forced myself to reach out to a couple caterers. After speaking with you – for over 90 minutes, probably past your hours – I felt hopeful and relieved! You were so competent, helpful, responsive, and patient from the very beginning. You made something that seemed so dreadful, enjoyable. So, thank you, thank you!

JR & Jim
Wedding
January 2014

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Dear David, Cari & Melissa,

Thank you very much for being a part of the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Holiday Celebration and 102nd Annual Meeting on Thursday, December 5. We were thrilled to have Hel’s Kitchen Catering – you were a key to the evening’s success! Your Winter Chopped Salad Wraps, Maple-Bourbon Chex Mix, Arancini and Sea Salt Caramel Brownies were mouth-wateringly delicious. And, David, what a bonus to learn how to elegantly tie and drape a cocktail table – my entertaining skills have now improved tenfold!

It was so much fun to see our members mingling with each other, enjoying your terrific food and just having a relaxing good time. We hope that you also enjoyed the opportunity to “break out” of your kitchen and have the chance to talk with business friends and neighbors. Your food and your presence made the event truly special. Thank you for your participation and your ongoing support. It is what allows us to continue offering quality programs and services to our members.

Hel’s Kitchen Catering helped us cap the Chamber’s year in style! Thank you again for all you do.

Thank you for the marvelous job that you did for my son Noah’s bar mitzvah. The food was delicious and the service flawless.

Kim G.
Bar Mitzvah
November 2013

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Hi Will,

I wanted to email you to thank you so much for the fabulous job you and your staff did at Eli’s Bar Mitzvah. The food was amazing, everything went seamlessly, and your staff was warm, helpful and fun. We were beyond pleased. Thank *you* especially – You were so easy to work with and you have an impeccable attention to detail – we felt very well taken care of by you, and Eli loved being able to eat *everything* without worrying about his food allergies.

Lisa Z.
Bar Mitzvah
November 2013

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David, it was great to finally meet you, having heard about Hel’s Kitchen for years. Nancy continues to receive emails from our clientele talking about how impressed they were with the taste of your food and the presentation too. You, your son and your wife really gave us 110% and we certainly recognize it and appreciate it. I look forward to being able to refer some business your way.

Maria K.
Event and Program Director
Skylight Event Space

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Linda,

How can I ever thank you for the absolutely fabulous event you helped us host on Saturday night!!! The weather turned out to be perfect – NO rain, lots of warmth, and many people sat outside so every room we layed out for eating was used as we visualized. People couldn’t stop raving about the food!!! It was delicious…and the service people were so wonderful. They anticipated every need (even lighting the little candles I laid out, planning to light and arrange myself but got distracted). The set-up was so beautiful. Honestly, all the guests were raving about the food and the event. And then the brunch at Mollies was perfect too – oh, that French Toast was to die for!! It was just wonderfully thought out and capped off a weekend we are all exceedingly pleased with.

It would be our pleasure to be used as a reference anytime you need on. And Jenifer is planning on putting something up on YELP which will also be most complimentary.

Linda, thanks again for your professionalism and the delicious services of Hels Kitchen. It far exceeded my expectations. I was a happy guest at my party – just what I’d hoped for!

Arlene B.
Bar Mitzvah
October 2013

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Dear Tim,

I wanted to express my appreciation for the fantastic ’155 Blues Fest’ tenant event that you catered for us.

Hel’s Kitchen impressed everyone once again by accommodating a lunch for 3,500 guests in a 2-1/2 hour timeframe. The food options were ample and we received several compliments from all the attendees. I think the sliders and mini rib sandwiches were the most popular this year. Congratulations on another successful event!

It is a pleasure working with you as you are always willing to put the customer first, regardless of how last minute a request may be. Yet again, you have proved to our building and our tenants that Hel’s Kitchen is a vendor that will not disappoint. A big thank you goes out to you and your team from all of us.

Thank you, Linda. I have to say, the feedback I received about last night was truly (positively) emotional. Everyone had such a wonderful time. The color décor we chose turned out beautifully, the food was flavorful (not undercooked, nor overcooked, nor dry). My vegetarian colleagues loved what they had as options, the salmon was a huge hit, and the beef was cooked in such a way that those who prefer medium, medium rare, and well done, were happy.

The presentation of the food was done very well, and in an order that made logical sense—I’m very picky about presentation and food and buffets based on my experience and it flowed so well. The flowers were also a great touch.

The choices of wine, beer, and soft drinks were well-received and I was told specifically that the bartender was courteous, kind, and firm about identification. That, of course, put us all at ease from an executive standpoint.

The berry bar and the ice cream bar were incredible. Having both was a great recommendation on your part as so many people combined fresh fruit with their ice cream. You truly thought through everything for preparation by prepared scoops.

I was most impressed, personally, on the crew’s professionalism and ability to “go with the flow.” We went over on time for presentations and we never felt rushed or like we had to go eat for worry of food getting cold, and the dessert bar opened at a great time.

The cleanup all of you did: WOW! Those who couldn’t make it had no idea anything took place last night and our administrative secretary told me that she noticed all the trash put away in the bin.

In short, you helped me pull off the execution. Without that, planning wouldn’t mean a thing. I always say, if I do my job well, typically it goes unnoticed and that’s A-OK as it goes forward without a hitch and I expect the best. If things aren’t executed well, then I hear about it—so thank you so very much for your great food, service, and professionalism, and please share this with you staff. I know IMO will use you in the future. I’ve CC’ed our Administrative Assistant (Suzanne) and our Executive Assistant (Mona) for awareness so they have your information in the future.

Blake G.
Manager
Intern Dinner
August 2013

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David,

Wow! Where have you been all these years? What a FABULOUS experience we had working with you and your staff. The food was great, the set-up/breakdown a breeze, the staff over-the-top accomodating and lovely. Several guests wrote follow-up e-mails full of accolades and asking, “Who was the caterer?”. You brought calm and ease to every step and we are happy to now call you our “GO TO GUY” for parties. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Hel’s ROCKS!

Margie, Dennis & Alex G.
Graduation Party
July 2013

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Hi Tim, OMG!!! What can I say , except thank you, thank you, thank you. A thousand times thank you. Your entire staff was AMAZING! Did I say AMAZING!? I don’t know if you thought I was joking about next year, well, I wasn’t. I was totally serious. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout, a better day. We didn’t have not one negative complaint, that’s fantastic. Imagine that with a group as large as ours you know that it’s posssible that someone is going to complain. I wanted to give a special thank you to all the ladies that worked at the welcome table. Their work couldn’t go unnoticed. I’m not trying to slight any one. Don’t get me wrong I just think those ladies had great patience. Our committee definitely wants you back. Can we please talk late this year or early next year? We need to get our picnic planned and out of the way. So again on behalf of company and our Recreation Committee we are so thankful for all your hard work. We look forward to hearing from you. So until next year. Thank you.

Pat W.
Chairperson
Company Picnic
July 2013

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Dear Hel’s Kitchen Catering,

Thank you so much for providing such amazingly delicious food for your wedding. Everything, including the table settings, was perfect! All of our guests were coming up to us throughout the night and telling us how amazing everything looked and tasted. Your staff, especially Will Borris, did a phenomenal job that day and all throughout our preparation process. We are truly and deeply grateful for your help in making our wedding beautiful and unforgettable. Thank you again.

Lisa & Sang K.
Wedding
June 2013

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Hi Sandy,

I just wanted to let you know that as usual all the food was great! My group really gave high praise to the watermelon salad. We all really LOVED that! I loved it so much I want to come pick up a bowl for myself to take home!
I just wanted to give you feedback in case it’s helpful. The red skin potatoes were well received as well.

Andrea Y.
Corporate Lunch
May 2013

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Hi. Wanted to give you feedback on last night’s Taste of Pittsburgh! FANTASTIC!

First – let me compliment the staff. All the staff were helpful and we appreciate their work as well. Thanks to them all.

The food was great. Everyone may not have “loved” every selection, but they loved the idea of what we were trying to do…have some fun – educate them on Pittsburgh foods and get them excited and talking about our upcoming event in Pittsburgh this August. We accomplished our goals. Everyone enjoyed the adventure of the evening..the stations were wonderful – well planned. The flow of the crowd was good. Personally, I loved the potato tartar sauce on the fish sandwich! I loved the sausage…(I think the best I have ever had…and I married into a family that eats that sausage at every holiday meal so I’ve had a lot of Kielbasa) – and the Primanti Brothers sandwiches were fun and interesting (not my favorite – but that’s just me…I thought it needed something….it was dry)…but, it was a big hit with the crowd if for no other reason, but to strike up conversation.

Special thanks to you, David. I know the work that went into planning this….and it is very much appreciated. I love how you are willing to think outside the box when planning events…that is why I keep coming back to Hel’s Kitchen!

Gail S.
Church Assembly DinnerApril 2013

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Sandy and David,

I wanted to take a moment to thank you and staff at HK for another outstanding menu.

We and our guests enjoyed every last drop – we appreciate your help in making our Seder quite wonderful.

All the best,

Mara L.
Passover
March 2013

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David, thank you for this very responsive email. I really appreciate your listening to my comments, and addressing each one so thoroughly. This is very good customer service, and I would love to work with you again. Really. Thank you.

Denise H.
January 2013

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Just wanted to let you know that your booth looked terrific yesterday and it was jam-packed when I got there. Strawberry Thyme Lemonade was outstanding!! Love it and will definitely recommend it to clients.

Jamie B.
Party Planner
January 2013

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Hi David,

Just wanted to tell you that the food was delicious and the service was great! Sharon was a wonderful supervisor who ran the show beautifully and really let me relax and enjoy the parties. I also really liked working with Kevin and Phil.

My family especially enjoyed the pad thai, meatballs, eggplant timbale, noodle kugels, brownies, chocolate bobka, falafel and babaghanoush. It went just as I had hoped and I look forward to working with Hel’s Kitchen again for my future parties.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Deb B.
Bat MitzvahOctober 2012

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Hi Linda – I wanted to send you a THANK YOU for your help and the wonderful menu selections your team provided for our party. The food was very good, everyone had something good to say about the meal and considering we’re a military crowd that typically gets rubber chicken from some hotel, they were all very thankful for such good “eats.”

I will definitely use Hel’s Kitchen in the future.

Sincerely,

Danette & Richard H.
September 2012

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Hi Linda,

Just wanted to tell you that the Buffet on Sunday here in Hinsdale was wonderful! Our guests were raving about the food and so many asked us who catered the event. Hopefully you’ll gain some business from all the inquiries. I wanted to thank you for helping with the menu . . . and your chefs provided delicious food that everyone loved, which added to the overall success and created an amazing and terrific evening. Thanks again.

Regards,

Diane D.
Sales Manager
Open HouseSeptember 2012

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Hi Will,

Thanks so much for following up on the wedding. Melissa, Sharon and I were all very pleased with the way everything turned out last Friday night. We heard nothing but compliments about the food — guests were thrilled with all of the items on the buffet — we heard a lot of compliments on the short ribs, mac & cheese, and the salad to name a few. Guests also REALLY loved the mini pot pies, dates and chicken and waffles. We also heard a lot of positive feedback about the staff. Ronnie and the rest of the team were beyond friendly, attentive and flexible when it came to changes in timing/schedule and overall service. Even with such a hot day making the working conditions less than comfortable, they all had smiles on their faces, were polite and really went above and beyond. They were also very helpful with cleaning up at the end of the night. I can’t thank you enough for all that you did to help get the details in order before and during the event. You were excellent to work with and I look forward to the opportunity to work with you on other events in the future!

All the best,
Anne S. (Wedding Planner)
Wedding
August 2012

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Hi David,

I hope all is well with you. We are finally settling back in and organizing…

We can’t thank you and your team enough. The heroes of the wedding.

We’ll send along the link to our photos once we receive them and would be happy to post some photos online, etc to highlight your great work.

Warm regards,
Meg & Michael R.
Wedding
July 2012

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Linda,

We were thrilled with your catering and food. It was delicious and liked by everyone. My brother and sister in law really appreciated the leftovers to serve to all the nieces and nephews who came into town. Jamey and Julie loved the party in their honor. Thanks for the great help and advice on the menu!

I’ll try to call, but with the campers having arrived, it’s a busy day and tomorrow and the next will also be crazy. Then it should settle down.

Best,
Kathy D.
June 2012

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Hi, Fanny-

Thanks for asking! Most things were great! I had waaaaayyy more people than I was expecting, but the food seemed to last almost til the end! The apppetizers were great, we liked the little sandwiches… the only thing we weren’t crazy about were those sirloin roll-ups… they just didn’t look so appetizing (and didn’t like the American cheese) – but everything else was nice. We had a perfect night, the help from That Special Event was wonderful – all-in-all a very successful party. Thanks again so much for all your help!
Karen J.
June 2012

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Well, Lynn, as we knew was going to be in the hospital, so she can’t offer much of an opinion, however I will say that as with everytime we have used you over the last 25 years, the food was properly prepared, wonderfully tasteful and plenty generous per planned serving. The young man who delivered the food was extremely polite, right on time, and very efficient (slowed down only by my trying to be helpful). You folks get 5 Diamonds, Stars everytime!

Yours,
Fred F.
Graduation Party
June 2012

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It was fantastic. We will definitely order again from you all. The staff that came to set up was very professional and accommodating. Everyone enjoyed the food and the hostess wasn’t stressed out one bit – which is always a plus!
Thanks so much!
Mary T.
Elementary School – End of Year Party
June 2012

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Hi Linda~

I’m so sorry I haven’t returned your call yet! Ever since you left your sweet message, I have been either working or in clinical for school every single day and I haven’t had time to do much of anything! So far, married life has been hectic but great, and we are so looking forward to our honeymoon in January when we can really relax and enjoy each other!

Ricardo and I wanted to express to you how much we appreciate everything you and Hel’s Kitchen did to make our wedding day beautiful and delicious! Our guests all continue to rave about how awesome the food was, many even remarking that it was the best wedding food they’ve ever had! Because you guys were so great to package up the leftovers, we were even able to share some of the chicken piccata (a favorite) with a couple of people who didn’t get enough at the reception! Truly, from your professionalism and helpfulness throughout the planning process to the accommodating staff at the reception itself to the wonderful food, we couldn’t have asked for a better, easier catering experience. Because I was so impressed and thankful, I have already written a glowing review of Hel’s Kitchen on Yelp, and will continue to recommend you to anyone I know planning any kind of event.

Though I’m glad the craziness of wedding planning is over, I will truly miss corresponding with you! Thank you so much again for everything, Linda! You were simply the best!

Sincerely,

Amanda & Ricardo J.Wedding
August 2012

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I’m sorry that it took me so long to write this email, but I wanted to take some time to fully process and meet with the team before putting everything in writing.

First and foremost, THANK YOU to you, David, Jeff, Max and the entire team at Hel’s Kitchen. I can’t imagine that David’s presence at events is a standard, but having the attention and service of both you and the owner of the company is something I notice, and it made us feel truly appreciated. I didn’t even get to meet everyone in the back of the house, but I know the kitchen staff was hustling because the front of house was unbelievably smooth.

There are a few things I think I need to particularly point out, because they stand out to me as a past catering server and catering sales manager. The timing of the courses was truly exceptional. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect we would get courses out in less than 15-20 minutes, let alone 8, 10 and 12 minutes. Truly phenomenal and worth noting. I also would like to commend the fact that everyone worked so seamlessly despite the fact that you were working with a chef you hadn’t worked with before. I can’t imagine the added stress and communication challenges that come with that, but your team handled it with ease and effortlessness.

And secondly, I would like to commend you personally on your outstanding customer service. I know that I was “that client” that threw everything at you at the last minute, but besides promising not to let that happen again I have to MAJORLY thank you for being simultaneously patient and quick. I have never in my life been able to participate in an event that I’m planning, but you were so attentive to our needs that Ryan and I both got to enjoy every course that was brought to us at the donation table. (As someone accustomed to eating 2-hour-old food out of a hotbox it was a TRUE treat.)

I have zero negative feedback, except to say that next year I would like to make sure we further discuss bar open/close times and closing the bar during dinner. But that’s just a tiny blip on our radar and certainly not even considered a negative when juxtaposed towards the fabulous service we received overall.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I got hit by a truck, and I barely scraped the surface compared to the physical labor done by your team. It was a great reminder of how truly taxing catering is, and I am beyond thankful for everyone who worked their butts off (probably literally) to make The Community Table such a success.

We’re working on contracting Elawa Farm for next June 9th, 2018 and I do hope that we haven’t scared you away from joining us next year because I honestly don’t know what I would do without you and the team at Hel’s Kitchen!

Thank you so so so much, there aren’t enough words to express my true gratitude.